ABSTRACT
Most people think that subscribing to mass audience appeal means dumbing down the material. Sometimes this is the case, but just as often it is not. Plenty of really unique and creative bands are hits. Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Art of Noise, Snoop Dogg, Jewel, Tori Amos, and even Eminem are doing some very unique stuff. The boy bands are what most people consider an extreme case of catering to the mass market instead of letting creativity dictate the music. Many people think that using formulas to create music is evil. Often the job of the producer is to balance the needs of the record company with the desires of the band. He or she often functions as a mediator between the executive producer and/or the record company and the recording artist. The producer might also have to fight with the record company to preserve the artist’s creative freedom.
